Poland will have the world’s largest biomass plant according to Business Services International. To be completed by 2012, the plant will generate 190 MW of electrical energy and be fueled principally by pellets made from hay. The plant will double Poland’s existing biomass capacity to 10% of electricity generation.

Waste Management World reports that a 60,000 tonne per annum anaerobic digestion (AD) facility was opened in Glasgow, Scotlandby international waste management company, Shanks PLC. The plant will generate some 22,500 MWh of renewable energy – enough to power more than 3000 homes. The power will come from organic waste obtained from local authorities and food waste producers. The plant expects to operate at 100% capacity in a year.

From Lanka Newspapers we learn that the firm Octagon Consolidated Berhad has commenced construction on asolid waste to energy facility in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Using an Advanced Thermal Gasification Process the plant will consume 1,000 tonnes a day of local municipal solid waste and convert it to a minimum of 40 MW of electricity. The output will be sold to the Ceylon Electricity Board when the plant begins operation in 2014.

The same source says that the Meadow Lake Tribal Council is building a biomass-fired power plantin the Canadian province of Saskatchewan which will come on stream in 2014. The plant will convert a variety of wood waste including bark, branches, sawdust and wood chips into 36 MW of electricity – enough energy to power 30,000 homes.

We also learn from Bioenergy Insight that a biomass plant is being built in Fort Meade, Florida. Construction starts in early 2012 with the plant ready for operation by 2014. It will convert eucalyptus into 60 MW of renewable electrical power. The trees will be grown on local plantations and then be turned into wood chips at the site of biomass plant. It is thought between 400,000 and 500,000 tonnes of eucalyptus timber will be utilised annually. Staying in Florida, Biomass Power & Thermal tells us that the City of Port St. Joe has apporoved abiomass plant to produce electricity. The 55 MW power plant will run on 930 tons of woody biomass per day.

Bioenergy Insight further revealed that a biomass-fired power plant has started to operate in Belgium. The Rodenhuize plant was converted from a coal-fired facility to one which burns 100% wood pellets. Its 180 MW of electricity is enough to power 320,000 households and will reduce CO2 emissions by 1.2 million tonnes each year. One third of the wood pellets will come from Pacific BioEnergy’s British Columbia pellet plant.